If you want a Big Chest & Wide Shoulders while also Avoiding Rotator Cuff Injuries, then this post is for you!
It blows my mind how many people in the Gym have busted shoulders, specifically a partial or fully-torn Rotator Cuff. There’s generally only a few reasons for this…
1) Using Too Much Weight on Barbell Flat Bench Press
2) Bad Form during Barbell Flat Bench Press
3) Weak Posterior Delts
It’s either one of these reasons, or a combination of them all. Today I’m going to give you some Bench Pressing Tips so you can develop a Big, Strong & Wide Chest while also AVOIDING Shoulder Injuries.
Risk vs Reward
This principle is the foundation for ALL of my Fitness with Animal Training protocols and programs. The premise focusing only on doing Lifts that’ll give you the Greatest Reward with the least amount of Risk.
When it comes to using a Barbell when doing a Bench Press exercise. It essentially boils down to how much you like or want to do this lift b/c the Injury Risk is so high.
What you decide is subjective and ultimately up to you. I tell all of my Clients, if they absolutely love the Barbell Flat Bench Press, then we’ll incorporate it into their program.
But if they have a compromised Rotator Cuff or any Shoulder Capsule problems, then I suggest we NEVER do this exercise. I explain this concept in detail in my YouTube Video Below...
The RISK is NOT worth the REWARD. This is b/c you or anyone can develop a Big & Strong Chest with the Barbell Incline Bench Press, and ignoring the Barbell Flat Bench Press altogether.
Incline Barbell Bench Press = SAFER
This is purely b/c of the Angle that the Barbell and its weight put pressure on the Shoulder Joint. The Incline Barbell Bench Press allows the shoulder joint to more easily maintain its natural integrity.
Pressing the Barbell up is a more Fluid movement. This means there’s less weight being thrust onto the Rotator Cuff.
Now when it comes to the Barbell Flat Bench Press. The Barbell position puts the full weight of the Barbell and all of the attached weight, straight-down on the body.
Even with great form, a lot of weight is placed on the Rotator Cuff. This puts a TON of unwanted stress on the Rotator Cuff and other Connective Tissues.
Tips for Optimal Shoulder Health
If you love doing the Barbell Flat Bench Press. Here are a few things you can do, in order to lessen the amount of Stress placed on your Rotator Cuff.
It’s important to note that these Tips work for BOTH the Flat & Incline Barbel Bench Press. They should be used for both exercises.
Now let’s get down to the nitty-gritty and discuss HOW To Correctly do both the Incline & Flat Barbell Bench Press!
45 – 50 Degree Angle @ ALL Times
This is the most important Lifting Tip for any and all and all Bench Pressing Motions. Paying attention to this movement pattern will help Protect your Rotator Cuff, and entire shoulder complex.
One of the main reason people hurt their Rotator Cuff or develop any type of Shoulder Pain, from doing a Bench Press is b/c of what I’m about to discuss.
Keeping a 45-50 Degree Angle in your shoulder complex will keep a LOT of the Bad Pressure OFF of the Fascia, Ligaments & Tendons in your shoulders.
Muscles have a large blood supply. This means the can Heal quickly and easily. Connective tissue does not. Tearing Muscle Fiber is good. Tearing Fascia, Ligaments or Tendons = Injuries.
Keeping a 40-50 Degree Angle in your “Shoulder Complex” will keep the stress and pressure of the barbell, primarily on your Muscles. While also decreasing the amount of weight on your Connective Tissue.
Think of your Shoulder Complex as the space between your Elbows & Ribcage, essentially your Armpit area.
Maintaining a 45-50 Degree Angle in your Shoulder Complex means NOT letting your elbows “Flare Out” while doing ANY Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Press exercise. This means not allowing your elbows to have a 90 Degree Angle, in the area between your elbows and rib cage.
PowerLifting Technique = Bench Pressing Awesomeness
I truly understood how important the 45-50 Degree Angle concept was, when I started paying attention to who bench presses the most amount of weight. That would be Powerlifters.
When it comes to the rubber, meeting the road in the Gym. Powerlifters Barbell Bench Press the most amount of weight. I mean all we have to do is look at how many a human beings can Bench Press 500, 600 or even 800+ pounds. There’s competition data from all over the world, that show us how much Powerlifters are Benching.
So it makes sense that the people who bench press the most amount of weight, are a good example of what does and does not work Mechanically…when it comes to doing a proper Barbell Bench Press.
Body Mechanics Matter
All of the Connective Tissue inside the Shoulder Joint is Mechanically limited, in terms of how much weight it can take. Bad Mechanics means the pecs and all of the supportive bench pressing musculature, isn’t able to maintain structural integrity. This leads to Rotator Cuff and other Shoulder Injuries.
This leads me to point out the Form that Powerlifters utilize, when doing the Barbell Flat Bench Press. I’m not advocating everyone perform ALL of their Bench Pressing lifts like Powerlifters do.
What I am saying is that, the entire Shoulder Joint will take on a LOT Less Bad Pressure, from the Barbell and its weight. If they watch and mimic how Powerlifters Squeeze their Elbows into their Ribcage, as they do the Barbell Flat Bench Press.
Squeeze Elbows IN Towards Ribcage
Doing this forces the Pecs, Triceps & Posterior Delts to do more of the actual WORK of the Barbell Flat Bench Press:)
I’m not a Powerlifter. I don’t even do the Barbell Flat Bench Press lift. I only do the Barbell Incline Bench Press b/c I have a completely torn labrum in my left shoulder.
The point I’m making here, is that it’s super important to keep that 45-50 Angle in your Shoulder Complex…while doing any type of Bench Pressing exercise.
This will Protect your Rotator Cuff and allow you to use more of your Pecs and supportive musculature, when you bench. Keeping the 40-50 Degree Angle will also force your Shoulder Blades to do the Bench Pressing Tip I’m about to discuss next…
Retract & Depress Scapulas (Shoulder Blades)
Have you ever felt your Shoulders go UP when you’re Bench Pressing?
Well I have, and many of my Clients have too. As soon as this happens, it feels like a ton of “Bad Tension” is being injected into my Traps & Neck. What I’m about to discuss AVOIDS this bio-mechanical response.
When your Scapulas are correctly Retracted & Depressed. It’s Mechanically impossible for your Elbows to avoid being in the Correct 45-50 Degree Angle. Consequently ALL of the bad pressure I recently mentioned, will stay out of your Cervical Spine, Neck, Traps & Rotator Cuff.
Keep Shoulder Girdle FLAT
“The Shoulder Girdle is made up of 4 Joints; Glenohumeral (GH), Acromioclavicular (AC) Joint, Sternoclavicular (SC) Joint and the “floating joint” known as the Scapulothoracic (ST) Joint.”
The Shoulder Girdle is the entirety of your shoulder complex. It starts from your Medial Deltoid and goes all the way to the opposite side, of the corresponding Medial Deltoid.
It’s massively important to keep your Shoulder Girdle FLAT or as flat as possible, when you Bench Press. This’ll keep that pesky and dangerous Bad Pressure out of the Connective Tissue, in your Neck & Shoulders.
If you feel your Shoulders coming up towards your Ears, when you’re Bench Pressing. SQUEEZE your Shoulder Blades Back & Down by Retracting & Depressing them. This will re-direct the weight and pressure of the Barbell into your Pecs and supportive musculature:)
Conclusion
So when you factor in the Risk vs Reward concept. Barbell Incline Bench is the Safest option. It’s just easier to keep the Pressure from the Barbell Weight in your Muscles, and not in your Connective Tissue.
I truly Hope this post Helps You get Stronger & AVOID Injuries!!!
In my YouTube Video I give you a few more Barbell Bench Pressing Tips. I hope you’re able to watch it and use what you learn to help you get Stronger, Build a Bigger & Wider Chest & Avoid Shoulder Pain & Injuries!!!
